Sri Lanka has excluded Charith Asalanka from its squad for the upcoming ODI tri-series in Pakistan. The decision follows a poor run of form during the recent tour of England, where Asalanka recorded scores of 1, 11, and 7 across the one-day matches. The 27-year-old batter, who maintains an ODI average of 40.55 after 88 appearances, had previously served as vice-captain and stood in as T20I skipper for Kusal Mendis during the England series. His omission follows his exclusion from the preceding three-match T20I series against Pakistan. Asalanka’s exclusion follows his omission from Sri Lanka’s T20I squad for the 3-match series against Pakistan that precedes the tri-series.
To bolster the lineup, selectors have recalled batter Avishka Fernando and all-rounder Sahan Arachchige. Fernando enters the squad following a productive domestic season, having amassed 447 runs in seven innings at an average of 63.85 during the Major Clubs Limited Over Tournament. The pair replaces Asalanka and Wanindu Hasaranga, with the latter sidelined due to a hamstring injury sustained during the England tour. Aside from these changes, the squad remains consistent with the group that lost the recent ODI series to England 2-1.
Fitness concerns persist for several team members, specifically Pathum Nissanka and Dushmantha Chameera. Sri Lanka Cricket has confirmed that Nissanka, already ruled out of the T20Is, will only join the squad if he is declared “medically fit.” Similarly, Chameera’s inclusion in the T20I roster was made on the condition that he receives necessary medical clearance.
The tri-series is set to begin on October 18 in Rawalpindi with a match between Pakistan and Sri Lanka. After a round-robin stage in Rawalpindi, the tournament will shift to Lahore for the second round of fixtures. The competition concludes with the final match scheduled for October 31.
